Spinal injuries are common in many sports including motocross, snowmobiling, skateboarding, and other sports generally referred to as extreme sports for example. Often spinal injuries result in permanent damage so many efforts are made to protect the user from such injuries.
The following U.S. Pat. No. 6,687,920 by Berns; U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,561 by Glidden; U.S. Pat. No. 6,852,087 by Dainese; U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,447 by Kapounek et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,230 by Mazzarolo; and Published Application 2010/0122404 by Bowlus et al disclose various devices related to spinal protection. These prior art devices generally require a complex arrangement of supporting elements which are connected to one another by hinges or other complex formed parts which are costly and difficult to manufacture and assemble. Furthermore, the strength of the assembled device relies on the cooperation of many individual parts which increases the potential for failure and decreases the effective protection provided.